It was a wire-to-wire victory for the Lobos as they got off to a hot start with a lead they wouldn’t lose. The Bruins trailed by 11 points at halftime and were unable to put together a second-half run to fight back.

The Lobos shot 51% from the field and 41% from 3, shooting 4-15 from beyond the arc. For a team that was just 7 of 34 from 3-point range in the season opener, New Mexico coach Richard Pitino made serious adjustments as his team prioritized scoring at the rim instead of hoisting deep balls .

The game plan worked to perfection for the Lobos as junior guard Donovan Dent collected a team-high 17 points and added seven assists. Dent shot just one three and scored most of his in the basket. The Bruins struggled to stop him as they drove to the rim.

Bruins leading scorer Tyler Bilodeau finished the game with a double-double, scoring 23 points and grabbing 15 rebounds. He was a monster on the offensive glass, recording seven offensive rebounds. Besides Bilodeau, there weren’t many other significant goal scorers.

The rest of the Bruins’ starting five combined to score 23 points, the same number Bilodeau earned. This week in practice the emphasis should be on multiple goalscorers having a significant impact from different positions.

On the plus side, the Bruins are facing adversity very early in the season, which bodes well for later in the year. They have a full month to make improvements and get ready for their first season in the Big Ten. Head coach Mick Cronin ensures his boys are polished and ready to compete in the conference.

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